European Parliament calls for economic sanctions against dictator

The European Parliament calls on the EU to impose new sanctions against the Belarusian authorities and urge Minsk to stop criminal prosecution of the country’s presidential candidates.

The information was spread by RIA Novosti with a link to the Parliament’s resolution.

As the document notes, the European Union should “extend the restrictive measures against the Belarusian regime, including by imposing targeted economic sanctions, in particular against state-owned enterprises”.

MEPs also called on official Minsk to acquit the presidential candidates and stop their persecution. The MEPS find the presented charges with organizing mass disorders “illegal and inadmissible”.

The EP has already urged the Belarusian authorities to immediately release all detained politicians and drop charged from them. In February 2011, the EU suspended Belarus from participating in Eastern Partnership programme. EU sanctions against 175 Belarusian officials, including Lukashenka, took force in February. They were banned from entering the EU countries and their assets in the EU were frozen.

On Wednesday May 11, President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek sent a request to the International Ice Hockey Federation calling not to hold its 2014 championship in Belarus if the Belarusian authorities do not release all political prisoners arrested after the presidential elections.